When Civilians Begin To Raise Ransom For A General – Kayode Ogunjobi

The kidnapping of Retired Major General Maharazu Tsiga, former Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), by armed bandits on February 5, 2025, from his hometown in Tsiga village, Bakori Local Government Area of  Katsina State is a clear testament of the increasing confidence of the kidnappers who have been terrorising various communities in Nigeria. How does one explain that a retired General who had retired peacefully to his village would be subjected to serious, harrowing and life-threatening circumstances in the absence of a war?

Undoubtedly, kidnapping in Nigeria has evolved into a booming criminal enterprise. What began decades ago as isolated cases of hostage-taking in the oil-rich Niger Delta and pockets of other places has now spread like wildfire across the country from the north to the south and from the east to the west threatening the peace of Nigerians.

Today, students, artisans, businessmen, clergy, travelers, farmers, and even military personnel are not spared from the nefarious activities of the kidnappers. It appears that the bandits, insurgents, and opportunistic criminals are becoming deadlier by the day, operating with terrifying efficiency.

ADVERTISEMENT

Sadly, payment of ransom is gradually becoming a norm, thereby fuelling the activities of the kidnappers as they often demand ransoms in the tens or hundreds of millions. It is gradually becoming a normal thing for families and loved ones to swing into action, pooling resources together to rescue their loved ones from the den of kidnappers.  What an aberration, crowdfunding is not being activated to build businesses, but to buy back loved ones.  

Of a truth, an average Nigerian would do anything possible to ensure the safety of his family member including trading away the family inheritance. This communal and lovely mindset ensures that everyone starts running helter-skelter when a known or even unknown person is in captivity. Kidnapping is no longer just a crime; it has become a parallel economy, a national trauma and disaster, and a grave threat to Nigeria’s sovereignty. It is an evil that must be uprooted using all mechanisms possible. It is not a thing to be subjected to politics or rhetoric, but a call for decisive action.

Why Tsiga’s Abduction Strikes Deeper

A Major General in the Nigerian Army is not an ordinary man. He is a battle-tested leader, trained to handle national security threats, command troops, and make strategic decisions in times of war and peace. By the time a soldier earns two stars on his shoulder, he has spent decades mastering warfare, intelligence, logistics, and crisis response. The Nigerian Army is also rated as one of the best in the world.

Unfortunately, an average Nigerian civilian is often armed with little more than hope and prayer. They depend on the military and police for protection, have no formal combat training, and usually lack the means to escape or resist armed attackers.

It follows painfully that if someone of the status of General Tsiga’s caliber can be kidnapped, particularly from his own village where he knows the terrain and can walk about with blind eyes, then the implications are enormous. If a man trained to fight insurgents, bandits, and terrorists can be captured so easily and held for days, what chance does the average market woman, student, or farmer have?

This is why his abduction was more than a personal tragedy for General Tsiga. It is a glaring and sounding national alarm bell that should awaken even the deaf.  The abduction exposed the growing boldness of armed gangs as they took the battle to the home of the General. It is what the Yorubas in the south west Nigeria call “Èèmọ̀ wọ̀ ìlú” literally meaning “mystery has entered the town” or “a strange/ominous event has come upon the community” or “Something deeply unsettling has befallen the community.”

“Èèmọ̀ wọ̀ ìlú” is a powerful idiom typically used to express shock, fear, or a sense that something deeply unnatural, uncommon or spiritually troubling has occurred especially when the event is beyond logic, such as the kidnapping of a General in his home country.

Born in 1951, Major General Tsiga served in the Nigerian Army for over three decades. He held several command and staff positions before being appointed the Director-General of the NYSC in the early 2000s. Under his leadership, the scheme saw reforms in orientation camp discipline, skills acquisition programs, and security measures for corps members.

He retired with honor and returned to his ancestral home, where he became a mentor and community leader, often advocating for youth empowerment and national unity. His disposition while in service and his communal life after service must have strenthened the drive, desire and commitment of the people to rescue him, leading to donations.

 The General’s Ordeal

The General spent 56 harrowing days in captivity under life-threatening conditions. In his first public account after regaining freedom, he said:

“We were constantly moved through rugged bush paths, deprived of basic needs. I saw young men with rifles making life-and-death decisions. The psychological toll was heavy, but the prayers and support of Nigerians kept my hope alive.”

The kidnappers demanded a ₦250 million ransom. In an unprecedented show of solidarity, people including civilians, mobilized funds to meet part of the demand, resulting in his eventual release.

Describing the experience, the retired general revealed how he and other hostages were surrounded by hungry hyenas looking for what to eat in the bush a day before their release by the terrorists who kidnapped them from different locations. He said, “A day before I left there, that is, the day before yesterday, on the mountain where I was staying, unexpectedly, we looked around and saw hyenas parading, searching for food. And what kind of food? Us, the human beings’’.

Brigadier General Ismaila Abdullahi (retd.) has said that the release of retired Brigadier General Maharazu Tsiga (retd.), was facilitated by generous financial contributions from fellow army generals, serving and retired military officers, and a wide spectrum of civilians.

In a note of appreciation shared on Facebook on Sunday, on behalf of Tsiga and his associates, Abdullahi detailed the community-driven effort that secured the retired general’s freedom.

He highlighted the role of a WhatsApp platform named “TSIGA,” created on February 9th, 2025, to coordinate information and solicit donations after bandits demanded a N400 million ransom.

“The response was overwhelming. On this platform, we had over 300 members; made up of retired military officers, serving military officers, and civilians from all segments of our society, university lecturers, ambassadors, and businessmen,” Abdullahi stated in the message.

He further explained the transparent process of collecting funds, noting, “So, I asked Kamal (General Tsiga’s son) to send us his father’s bank account. He immediately sent me General Tsiga’s bank account, domiciled in Unity Bank. I posted this account on the TSIGA PLATFORM and requested donations from members to assist General Tsiga’s family in meeting the demands of the bandits.”

Abdullahi described the outpouring support as remarkable, saying,  “The response, like I had earlier observed, was overwhelming. Donations came in pouring like ‘August Rains.’”

While real-time updates on the total amount raised were discontinued for security reasons, Abdullahi emphasised the impact of the collective financial strength.

“From 22 February 2025, when donations started coming in to 15 March 2025, the amount we received was indicative that yes, TOGETHER WE CAN.”

Abdullahi concluded his message by expressing deep gratitude. “I want to therefore, on behalf of General MI Tsiga, family, friends, colleagues and associates, thank you all for your brotherly and sisterly expression of concern and contributions both financial, moral, and even spiritual in our collective efforts to make sure General MI Tsiga regained his freedom.”

He also marked the successful conclusion of his public communication regarding the ordeal, stating, “Today, 4th April 2025 I have come to the end of my humble task… I feel fulfilled as our collective efforts have finally yielded a very positive outcome i.e THE RELEASE of General MI Tsiga.”

While the exact amount of ransom paid was not disclosed, Abdullahi’s statement underscored the significant role played by the financial contributions from army generals, other military personnel, and numerous civilians in securing the release of Tsiga after weeks in captivity.

Meanwhile, the Defence headquarters on Monday disclosed that military operations comprising both kinetic and non-kinetic strategies facilitated the rescue of General Maharazu Tsiga.

One thing that is crystal clear is that Nigeria as a country needs to do more concerning the security architecture. The abduction and release of General Tsiga, with civilians and others contributing ransom, confirming the resilience of the Nigerian people, should normally provoke a rethink and a call for urgent reform in security governance.

Kayode Ogunjobi FFAN

8^th April, 2025